Five Notable Developments in Nuclear This Week

1. The National Audit Office published a report into the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s progress at Sellafield.

The report states that the NDA has made progress with reducing delays and cost overruns since the NAO’s last report in 2015. However, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK Government Investments, the NDA and Sellafield Ltd all have more work to do to measure, evaluate and communicate progress more effectively.(National Audit Office, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: progress with reducing risk at Sellafield, 20 June 2018, link)

2. Wood unveiled a new technology fund for nuclear decommissioning.

The fund will invest in technologies for nuclear decommissioning developed by small and medium sized enterprises.(Nuclear Industry Association, Member News, 21 June 2018, link)

3. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Revealed its commercial ambitions at the DECOM2018 Conference.

Kate Ellis, the NDA’s Commercial Director, told delegates the NDA was in the process of ‘strengthening its approach to contracting: becoming better, more efficient, clearer, providing best value for taxpayers.’(Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, News Story, 21 June 2018, link)

4. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy Reaffirmed in answer to a written question that The UK will seek to ‘fully associate itself with the Euratom research and training programme’.

Specifically, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Lord Henley, noted that such an association would involve appropriate financial contribution.(Lord Henley, Written question – HL8439, 21 June 2018, link)

5. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority opened a consultation into its level of stem ENGAGEMENT.

The consultation is designed to help the NDA consider what its role in STEM engagement activities should be.(Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Open consultation, 20 June 2018, link)

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